How Teens Get on Sports Betting Apps, and What Parents Can Do

Teens get onto sports betting apps mostly by borrowing access, because licensed apps must check age and identity and the minimum age is 21 in most states that allow sports betting. A 16-year-old usually can't open an account in their own name, so the betting tends to happen through an older sibling's login, a parent's saved card, an offshore website, or a friend at school who takes bets.

Finding out your teen has been betting can bring up anger, worry, and guilt all at once, especially if the money came from your own account, and parents who catch it early usually have more options than they expect.

What is the legal age for sports betting?

The legal age for sports betting is 21 in most U.S. states that allow it, although a few states have set it at 18, and each state writes its own rules. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) noted in 2023 that Kentucky's new law set the betting age at 18 "rather than 21, like most states" (NCPG, 2023). Kentucky has since changed course: its sports wagering statute, effective July 15, 2026, now requires licensed operators to use reasonable procedures "to prevent access to sports wagering by any person under the age of twenty-one (21)," both in person and online (Kentucky Revised Statutes 230.805, 2026).

Rules shift from state to state and year to year, so check your state's gaming regulator for the current law, but no state allows a high school student under 18 to bet on a licensed app, so a teen who is betting is using someone else's access or a site that isn't licensed.

The same statute requires licensed apps to verify a customer's name and age before any deposit or bet, which is why most underage betting goes around those checks rather than through them.

How do teens get around the age limits?

Teens get around age limits on sports betting mostly through people and payment methods they already have access to, rather than by beating an app's verification. A 2026 Harris Poll conducted for NCPG found that 33% of adults ages 21 to 44 said they had placed a sports bet before age 21, compared with 11% of adults 55 and older (NCPG, 2026). The survey did not separate states where betting is legal at 18, so read it as a sign of how common early betting is rather than a count of illegal bets.

The routes parents most often run into are these:

• Borrowed accounts. An older sibling, cousin, or friend opens the account and lets the teen use it, or places bets for them and settles up through a payment app.
• A parent's account or card. A teen uses a parent's logged-in betting app, or adds a parent's saved debit or credit card to an account set up by someone older.
• Offshore websites. Unlicensed sites based outside the U.S. take bets from people in states where they have no license, and they aren't held to the age and identity rules that state law places on licensed apps.
• Peer bookies. A classmate takes bets in person or over group chat and settles up in cash or through payment apps, which leaves almost no trail.

Very little of this looks like gambling from the outside, since it often shows up as money sent to a friend, a few unexplained charges, or a group chat that gets loud on game nights.

Why are offshore betting sites a particular worry?

Offshore betting sites are a particular worry because they operate outside state law, so none of the protections that licensed apps must offer apply to them. In October 2026 the Michigan Gaming Control Board sent cease-and-desist letters to 32 offshore operators and warned that players on unlicensed sites have "no access to Michigan self-exclusion, deposit limits, or other responsible gaming tools," along with no independent testing of games and "no recourse" if winnings are withheld or an account is closed (Michigan Gaming Control Board, 2026).

For a teen, the site that is easiest to get onto is also the one with the fewest guardrails, and many of these sites look polished enough that it's reasonable to assume your teen can't tell a licensed app from an unlicensed one.

Prediction markets, which offer contracts on sports outcomes under federal rather than state rules, raise similar questions, and our guide on prediction markets explained for parents covers how they work.

How do the common access routes compare?

The common access routes differ mainly in where the money comes from and what a parent is likely to see first. The table below compares the four routes and the step that tends to close each one.

None of these steps is a lock, but each one adds friction and gives you a clearer view.

What practical steps can parents take?

The most effective practical steps are tightening the payment methods your teen can reach, turning on device and app store controls, and setting a clear family rule about betting accounts, starting with your own accounts and cards.

1. Check your own betting apps. If an adult in the house bets, log out on shared devices, lock the app with a passcode or face ID, and keep it off any device your teen uses.
2. Remove saved cards. Take saved cards out of browsers, app stores, and payment apps your teen can open, and use a prepaid allowance for their purchases instead.
3. Turn on transaction alerts. Most banks can alert you to every charge, and many let you block gambling transactions on a card, so check your bank's app or call.
4. Watch peer-to-peer payment apps. Ask about repeat transfers with the same few people, especially around game days.
5. Use device controls. Require your approval for new app downloads, set the device's app age rating, and turn on filters that block gambling sites.
6. Set a family rule about accounts. Say plainly that no one in the family lends a betting account, places bets for a teen, or shares a card for it, and say it to older siblings and cousins too.

Controls work better when your teen knows about them, and our guide on setting phone boundaries without starting a war covers how to set limits that keep your teen talking to you.

How do I talk to my teen about sports betting?

Talking to your teen about sports betting goes best when you start with curiosity about the games and the friends around them, rather than an accusation. Many adolescents see betting as part of being a fan, so asking what their friends are doing usually opens more doors than opening with the rule.

Be honest about why you care, and tell them you would rather hear about a debt from them than discover it later. If your teen admits they've been betting, keep your first reaction as calm as you can, ask how much and for how long, and make a plan together for any money owed. Our article on why teen gambling is a growing concern for parents gives more background you can share.

When should parents get help?

Parents should get help when betting has started to change your teen's behavior, such as lying about money, borrowing or stealing to cover losses, or moods that rise and fall with game results. Our guide to the signs your teen may be gambling lists what to watch for in more detail, and this article can help you notice patterns, but only a licensed professional can evaluate what is going on with your teen.

A useful way to think about it is in three levels:

• Watch and talk. Your teen placed a few bets, stopped when you raised it, and is open about it, so tighten the controls above and keep checking in.
• Bring in a professional soon. The betting continued after you talked, money is missing, your teen is hiding accounts, or their mood, sleep, or schoolwork has slipped. A therapist who works with adolescents, or your teen's doctor, is a reasonable first call, and our page on levels of care explained shows what support can look like.
• Act now. Your teen owes money to someone who is pressuring or threatening them, or seems hopeless about the losses. If your teen talks about hurting themselves or not wanting to be alive, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or call 911 if your teen is in immediate danger. Our page on crisis options for parents explains what happens when you call.

NCPG runs the National Problem Gambling Helpline, which connects people to local help through contact centers covering all 50 states and U.S. territories, and parents can reach it by calling or texting 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738) or by chatting online (NCPG, 2026).

This article shares practical guidance for parents and is not medical advice. We're not clinicians or doctors. If your teen is struggling, contact a licensed mental health professional or your teen's doctor, and if you have a serious concern about their safety, call 911 or call or text 988. Editorial standards